Israel Increases Front-Line Deployment of Female Soldiers... Over 20% of Combat Troops Are Women

More Female Soldiers Deployed to Front Lines in Israel
Proportion of Women in Combat Roles Rises to One in Five

Israel is increasing the deployment of female soldiers to front-line positions in order to address its manpower shortage.

Israeli female soldier. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on June 8 (local time), the proportion of female combat soldiers in the Israeli military has risen to one in five. These women are being deployed to battlefields such as the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Syria.

Israel enforces conscription for women aged 18 and older, just as it does for men. According to Israeli military data, women currently make up 21% of combat soldiers. This is a 7 percentage point increase from 14% just before the outbreak of the Gaza war.

The proportion of women wishing to serve in combat roles has gradually increased, and the Israeli military explains that approximately 4,500 female recruits are currently assigned to combat units.

Women make up about one-third of the Israeli military as a whole. This is the highest proportion of women among modern militaries in recent decades.

Before the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, most female soldiers served in less dangerous roles, such as guarding Israel's borders or working at checkpoints in the West Bank.

However, as the Gaza war has dragged on and manpower shortages have worsened, female soldiers have begun to be actively assigned to combat missions.

Nevertheless, some criticism has been raised regarding women serving as combat soldiers. The increase in female combat soldiers is pointed out as only a partial solution to the manpower shortage problem.

Additionally, the deployment of women in combat units has long been controversial due to risks such as torture or rape if captured by enemy forces.

However, as women deployed to the battlefield have demonstrated their capabilities, perceptions of female combat soldiers are gradually changing. On October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack, female tank crew members from the mixed-gender infantry battalion Caracal, led by Lieutenant Colonel Ben Yehuda, fought against Hamas fighters who surrounded a village in the desert and succeeded in repelling their assault.